Fire destroys north Ajax home
Tue May 20, 2008

AJAX -- An early morning fire could have been disastrous if not for working smoke alarms, says an Ajax fire official.

The blaze broke out about 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday in a home on Clapperton Drive in north Ajax.

Kevin Vaughan, a fire prevention inspector with the Ajax Fire and Emergency Services, said the fire was confined to the front of the house.

"There were working smoke alarms on all levels," Mr. Vaughan said.

There were five people in the house at the time, four adults and a child, all of whom were able to escape unharmed.

"The fire is still under investigation," he said.

When fire crews arrived, flames were coming out of the garage and heading towards the roof, Mr. Vaughan said.

Crews were able to put the blaze out shortly after arriving, Mr. Vaughan said, and prevented it from spreading to other homes.

The people in the home "executed their home escape plan," he said, adding "working smoke alarms do save lives."

Two vehicles in the driveway were also destroyed by the blaze.

The homeowner didn't want to comment.

---